Western Kansas world., 1887-07-30
The Gray Wolf.

Nell and I were too small to keep
house, we were sent down into the
country to stay with old Uncle Laws
and Aunt Katy. They were not our
real uncle and aunt but we had adopted
them as such because we loved them.
Uncle Laws had come from Kentucky
to Indiana when it was "new' with
our grandfather, and had been an ov-
erseer for him there. Our father at
that time was but two years old, and
his mother had died. Good, kind, old
Uncle Laws took entire care of him,
supplying as well as he could that
dead mothers place, with a devotion
that never was forgotten. Father says
he can still remember how big and
thick the biscuits we're that he made
and baked in spider on the Goals. For
those years of kindness to the mother
less little ones he was loved and re-
spected by us all.
Uncle Laws lived in log house of
three rooms. In the room used by the
family to sit in, was large fireplace,
always filled with logs in the winter,
and even in summer never without a
little fire. During the day we would
enjoy ourselves out of doors as only
children can, but when the short day
closed those homesick feelings which a
town-bred child always feels in the
stiffness of the country, would attack
us, and longing to see papa and
mamma would come over us. AS we
sat on the little stools Uncle Laws had
made specially for us. gazing into the
fire, every noise of wind or trees to our
childish imaginations was wolf or
bear, although they had long since dis
appeared from the country. Once in a
while we could hear fox bark in the
ravine back of the house, or coon
disturbing the chickens.
Nell, who was gazing into the depths
of the great fire silently, suddenly
said:
"Aunt Katie, did you ever see a
great, big wolf?''
Eyes, child" answered Aunt Katie.
And from the look in her face we knew
she had something interesting to tell
us.
go, do tell u.s." we said in chorus,
''all about it'll"
"When we first came to this country
there were deer, wolves, foxes, wild
turkeys, and even a bear was found in
the woods. / was a little girl then.
only ten years old. One day mother
called to me, as Marg and were play
ing near the spring, and told me that
she wanted me to GO on an errand for her
to our nearest neighbor's, mile and
half away, across the big woods. AS
it was early in the afternoon, she said
that might take Marg with me, but
not to be gone too late, as there were
'varmints,' as we called all small wild
animals, such as weasels, foxes, 'coons
and posSums, in the woods.
SIN those days there were no stores
nearer than twenty miles at which to
buy things we needed. Mother spun
the yarn to make stockings, insey for
our dresses, and cloth for the men
folks, and blue and white cOverlets
Father had learned to make rough
shoes for us children. Mother had bor-
rowed a fiat iron and q reed for rum
ming the threads of the warp through
in weaving, and we were to take them
home. remember well our pretty red
and blue plaid dresses at that very
time.
1--WE started about three o'clock,
Marg carrying the fiat-iron and / the
reed. We were not bit afraid, and
as we went along by burying each
other in the fallen leaves, for it was
in November, and in gathering the red
berries of the wild roses to make
necklaces of. In this way time passed
quickly, and we noticed that it was
getting late. The sun was low down,
and was afraid that we would not
get home before dark. / took Marg's
hand to help her along faster, and told
her that we couldn't play anymore, for
we would frighten mother if we stay
ed late.
SIN this woods were many large
treeSthat had been blown down in
storms, and that had lain there for
years, until the soft green moss had
covered them. Above the top of one
Of these fallen trees, near the path,
saw something shining like a bright
spot of light. / looked closer to see
what it might be. Marg mad not no
ticed it, and / didn't tell her to look,
for she was such timid little thing.
/ held her hand tighter and hurried
faster. I was next to the look, and
when got near enough saw that it
was the shining eyes of great hum
CRY gray wolf, looking at us over the
top of the log"
80, Aunt Katy, weren't you scared
to death?" said Nell, shuddering and
drawing nearer to Uncle Laws.
Eyes, / was terribly frightened, so
that l can never forget just what q
feeling of helplessness and dread of |
death came over me; not SO much for
but my poor little sister, who
did not even know it was hidden there,
but playing with the pretty red berries |
she had gathered / didn't know what |
to do. / had nothing to kill it with, |
and could not, as / was too little, and |
it was fierce and starved. Something, |
don't know what, prompted me, and |
stopped down, picked up stick, and
drew it sharply two or three times ,
across the reed IT made a harsh loud |